Kannada actor and activist Chetan Kumar was arrested by the Bengaluru police on Tuesday, March 21, over a tweet on March 20 saying that “Hindutva is built on lies”. Reportedly based on a complaint by a member of a pro-Hindu group, the Sheshadripuram police in Bengaluru arrested the actor under sections 295 A (malicious intent to outrage religious sentiment) and 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code. He has been sent to 14-day judicial custody.
In his tweet, Chetan — who is also known as Chetan Ahimsa — refuted claims made by the right-wing, such as the Babri Masjid being the birthplace of Hindu deity Rama and Vokkaliga leaders Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda being the killers of Tipu Sultan. “Hindutva can be defeated by TRUTH—> truth is EQUALITY,” his tweet mentions. The First Information Report (FIR) against the actor alleges that he “threatened the religious sentiments of majority of Hindus and created animosity between caste groups”, apart from instigating communal issues and threatening public peace.
Hindutva is built on LIES
— Chetan Kumar Ahimsa / ಚೇತನ್ ಅಹಿಂಸಾ (@ChetanAhimsa) March 20, 2023
Savarkar: Indian ‘nation’ began when Rama defeated Ravana & returned to Ayodhya —> a lie
1992: Babri Masjid is ‘birthplace of Rama’ —> a lie
2023: Urigowda-Nanjegowda are ‘killers’ of Tipu—> a lie
Hindutva can be defeated by TRUTH—> truth is EQUALITY
Earlier in February 2022, Chetan was arrested for criticising Justice Krishna Dixit, the Supreme Court judge who was hearing pleas against a ban on Muslim girls wearing hijabs in schools in the state. At the time, Chetan was referring to a 2020 order in which the judge had questioned the behaviour of a woman who alleged rape. Justice Dixit's comments were later deleted from the order after it sparked outrage and it was termed regressive.
A US citizen and a Fulbright scholar, Chetan Kumar is a Dalit rights activist who has been involved in several anti-right wing protests in Karnataka.